The research topic of this group is the regulation of cellular and network excitability in the central nervous system (CNS). The program is part of the general theme on nervous plasticity and it participates in the Graduate School for Neurosciences Amsterdam (ONWA). Within the central theme, we concentrate on the regulation of neuronal excitability, in particular in relation to ion channels and intracellular calcium regulation. This research line investigates the development of various types of calcium channels, their distribution over different neuronal compartments, and their relative abundance in cell groups within well defined local neuronal circuits.

A second research line at the cellular level relates calcium influx to energy-driven calcium efflux and calcium buffer capacity. Here we combine electrophysiological and optical techniques in order to obtain the spatio-temporal characteristics of calcium concentration in morphologically defined neuron types. At the level of the local neuronal network the emphasis is on understanding how the particular properties of individual cell groups contribute to the overall transfer of the local neuronal network and how specific synaptic connections can be modified to adapt local circuitry according to needs. Computational modeling at the cellular and network level is essential to put results and hypotheses in perspective.

Specific themes are :

Key publications

• Zeldenrust F., & Wadman W.J.
  Two forms of feedback inhibition determine the dynamical state of a small hippocampal network
  Neural Networks, doi:10.1016/j.neunet.2009.07.015
  abstract/PDF

• Smit-Rigter LA, Champagne DL, van Hooft JA (2009)
  Lifelong impact of variations in maternal care on dendritic structure and function of cortical layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons in rat offspring
  PLoS One 4:e5167     PDF

• van Strien NM, Cappaert NL, Witter MP (2009)
  The anatomy of memory: an interactive overview of the parahippocampal-hippocampal network.
  Nat Rev Neurosci 10:272-282     PDF

• Sun GC, Werkman TR, Battefeld A, Clare JJ, Wadman WJ (2007)
  Carbamazepine and topiramate modulation of transient and persistent sodium currents studied in HEK293 cells expressing the Na(v)1.3 alpha-subunit.
  Epilepsia 48:774-782.

• van Vliet EA, da Costa Araujo S, Redeker S, van Schaik R, Aronica E, Gorter JA (2007)
  Blood-brain barrier leakage may lead to progression of temporal lobe epilepsy.
  Brain 130:521-534.

• Chameau P, van Hooft JA (2006)
  Serotonin 5-HT(3) receptors in the central nervous system.
  Cell Tissue Res 326:573-581.

• Werkman TR, Glennon JC, Wadman WJ, McCreary AC (2006)
  Dopamine receptor pharmacology: interactions with serotonin receptors and significance for the aetiology and treatment of schizophrenia.
  CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets 5:3-23.

• Gorter JA, van Vliet EA, Aronica E, Breit T, Rauwerda H, Lopes da Silva FH, Wadman WJ (2006)
  Potential new anti-epileptogenic targets indicated by microarray analysis in a rat model for temporal lobe epilepsy.
  Journal of Neuroscience vol 26 : 11083-11110.             abstract/PDF

• Kager H, Wadman WJ, Somjen GG (2006)
  Seizure-like afterdischarges simulated in a model neuron.
  J Comput Neurosci.

• van Welie I, van Hooft JA, Wadman WJ (2004)
  Homeostatic scaling of neuronal excitability by synaptic modulation of somatic hyperpolarization-activated Ih channels.
  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 101:5123-5128.

All portrait pictures by Els Velzing